Reigning Big Ten Kicker of the Year Dragan Kesich adds a new job duty: Gophers social media liaison

INDIANAPOLIS — Typically, the Big Ten allows its teams to take three players to the league’s annual football media days, but Gophers coach P.J. Fleck has made exceptions in the past, such as bringing sixth-year senior quarterback Tanner Morgan to the 2022 event.

Thursday marked another exception as place-kicker Dragan Kesich joined quarterback Max Brosmer, running back Darius Taylor and linebacker Cody Lindenberg at Lucas Oil Stadium. Kesich, the reigning Big Ten Kicker of the Year, didn’t spend his time getting probed and prodded by assembled reporters but instead spent the day shooting videos and asking questions as what Fleck called the team’s “social media liaison.”

“It’s awesome, it’s an honor,” said Kesich, who was sporting a white suit, black shirt and loafers adorned with sequins. “I’m happy they let me do this.”

Kesich, a 6-5, 235-pounder with a personality to match his size, kept things fun Thursday. When Brosmer, Taylor and Lindenberg had their individual interviews, each was assigned a word to drop into an answer. Lindenberg worked “meatball” into an answer, while Taylor described how he was “spoon-fed” as a youth running back.

Brosmer was up next, and Kesich asked him to describe his golf game.

“I did a little bit of golf this summer, but not as much as I would have liked to,” the quarterback said, suppressing a chuckle. “We actually went out one time together, and you were swinging like a nighthawk. … Dragan just needs a little practice.”

After a successful six-year run at Oregon State, Jonathan Smith took the Michigan State job last season, and one of the coaching positions he had to fill was defensive coordinator. His choice: Joe Rossi, who was the Gophers defensive coordinator from late in the 2018 season through the 2023 campaign.

“I didn’t know Joe, really, at all,” Smith said of Rossi, who received a pay bump of $400,000 to $1.5 million. “We had a couple of mutual friends, had a lot of conversations with people I know that had worked with him. We got together and made sure we were aligned on how we would approach the program — develop, recruit, things like that.

“He’s been awesome,” Smith added. “You can tell his experience, his organization. He’s got a clear vision for what he wants it to look like.”

Spartans safety Dillon Tatum likes the fact that the Gophers under Rossi had safeties Antoine Winfield Jr., Jordan Howden and Tyler Nubin drafted by NFL teams.

“Antoine Winfield Jr. is the highest-paid safety in the league now, and he played under Joe Rossi,” Tatum said. “When I get the opportunity, I’m going to ask him, ‘Can I talk to Antoine? How can I get some pointers, some tips? Can I watch film with this guy so I can get better and be just like him?’”

Fleck said his team is healthy entering training camp with one exception: redshirt freshman offensive lineman Jerome Williams will miss the season because of an injury suffered in a non-football activity. “Other than that, we are healthy.”